It is not unusual for communities to cover furniture and equipment costs for such large projects. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

infrastructure

Regional partners continue planning for new long-term care facility in La Ronge

Oct 13, 2021 | 1:55 PM

Planning continues for a new 80-bed long-term care centre in La Ronge.

Representative with Air Ronge, La Ronge, Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) and the Northern Saskatchewan Administrative District (NSAD) have been meeting regularly since town council decided to donate the necessary land to construct the new facility. It will be located adjacent to the La Ronge Health Centre.

Regional partners are developing a plan to fundraise the necessary cash for furniture and equipment as part of the care facility’s development.

“Ultimately, I think council and residents too, want to see this long-term care facility come through, but we just want to make sure we’re not setting ourselves up for different precedents moving into the future,” La Ronge Mayor Colin Ratushniak said. “Just from the conversations that were happening at the table last night, it almost feels like we’re being forced to cough up $3 million for those added costs when I think the majority of council feels like it’s not really an obligation on the taxpayer’s burden.”

At this time, a steering committee have agreed in principal that any costs to get fundraising underway should be shared amongst regional partners. That means La Ronge with a population of 2,688 with pay 39 per cent, the LLRIB with a population of 2,622 will pay 38 per cent, Air Ronge with a population of 1,106 will pay 16 per cent and the NSAD with a population of 469 will pay seven per cent.

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Other Saskatchewan projects of a similar nature have used an outside agency to assist with fundraising efforts. The steering committee believes it would be prudent to engage an outside firm to conduct a fundraising study on how to best fundraise and what totals will be needed. An estimated cost for such a study would be between $30,000 to $40,000.

“As a municipality, I still think it’s going to benefit our region but, with that being said, this is going to benefit potentially all of the North and various parts of the province, so why are we the only ones on the hook for that money?” Ratushniak questioned.

The committee will meet with the Saskatchewan Health Authority at the end of October to brief them on local activities and to find out what the authority has been working on, as well as get a more accurate picture on the funds required by the region.

The 2021 provincial budget in April included $7.6 million of the $73 million required to construct facility, which should be completed by the end of 2023. It’s part of a $7.5 billion, two-year capital plan to build a strong Saskatchewan and stimulate Saskatchewan’s economic recovery post-COVID.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno